Decoy anchor



June 28, 1955 H. E. WATSON DECOY ANCHOR Filed Sept. 14, 1955 HVVENTUR ATTORNEY #41 9040 5 WA rso/v- United States Patent DECOY ANCHOR Harold E. Watson, Dallas, Tex. Application September 14, 1953, Serial No. 380,000

' Claims. (Cl. 43-3 This invention relates to decoys employed by hunters in duck hunting and it has particular reference to an improved anchor for duck decoys.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a decoy anchor which, by virtue of its peculiar hollow horse collar shape, possesses at least two distinct advantages, one being that when not in use, the anchor may be placed in the neck of the decoy to which it is attached by means of a stout cord, the surplus of which is stored in a continuous peripheral groove formed in the outer surface of the anchor. Another advantage resides in the fact that when the anchor is dropped into the water, the line will spool off freely to a predetermined depth.

Another object of the invention is to provide a decoy anchor consisting of a weighted body in the form of a loop whose convergent side portions terminate with a hole for the reception of the cord which connects the anchor with the decoy and at the large end of the body opposite the hole is a pivoted member which, in inoperative position, conforms to the contour of the inner surface of the body and is thus held but when moved to a plane at right angles to the plane of the body, the member defines flukes which lay hold of the earth and prevent movement of the anchor from a selected position.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a decoy anchor designed for convenient attachment to a decoy for stowing as well as having means for ready stowing of the anchor cord and further, a decoy anchor equipped with a grapple or claw which may be locked in both operative and inoperative positions.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a decoy anchor constructed according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the opposite side of the anchor and having its lower portion in section to better show the grapple.

Figure 3 is a view showing one edge of the anchor with portions in elevation and in section and revealing the grapple rotated to operative position, and

Figure 4 is a view of a duck decoy showing the manner in which the anchor is attached thereto for stowing.

Continuing with a more detailed description of the drawing, reference numeral denotes generally the decoy anchor consisting of a body of substantially horse collar shape, defining a portion 11 forming a semi-circle and portions 12 which converge into a blunt end or extension 13 in which is made an aperture 14. The portions 11 and 12 of the body have opposed flanges 15 between which is formed a continuous peripheral groove 16 for stowing anchor cord 17 (Figure 4) which joins the anchor 10 with a duck decoy 18 by means of a screw eye 19.

At the converging ends of portions 12 of the body 10, angular grooves 20 are made, extending from the opening 14 downwardly and out each side of the body. These grooves receive the cord 17 extended through the hole 14 in a loop which is then placed in the groove 16 2,71 1,607 Patented June 28,

which extends about the body and which secures the cord to the anchor.

In addition to the weight of the anchor 10, a grapple is provided to insure against movement of the anchor once it is dropped in a selected location. This grapple consists of an arcuated member 21, pivoted by means of a screw or rivet 22 to the inside of the bight portion 11 of the body 10. The curve of the member 21 fits the contour of the portion 11 and in Figure 2, it will be noted that the member 21 is also curved transversely to conform with the convex transverse curvature of the loop formed by the portions 11 and 12 of the body 10. In being so formed, the grapple member 21 cannot be moved from its inoperative position shown in Figure 1 except with some difiiculty and is thus held against accidental release from this position until it is desired to move the same into the operative position shown in Figures 2 and 3.

In order that the grapple member 21 may be held in a position to resist movement of the anchor along the bottom of a lake or the like, a pair of oppositely disposed lugs or protuberances 23 are formed on opposite sides of the bight portion 11 of the body 10 and their formation at their top portions conforms to the transverse curvature of the grapple member 21. Therefore, when the member 21 is rotated to a position at right angles to the plane of the body 10, the edges of the member 21 will yield suificiently to permit the member to be moved to overlie the lugs 23 which hold the grapple member in operative position to form flukes extending on opposite sides of the body. By imposing pressure against one end of the grapple member 21 it can be rotated to again restore the same to a position of alignment with the inner surface of the bight portion 11 of the body 10 or its inoperative position.

Manifestly, the construction as shown and described is capable of some modification and such modification as may be construed to fall within the scope and meaning of the appended claims is also considered to be within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A duck decoy anchor comprising a hollow sinkable body of substantially horse collar shape conformable to the neck of a duck decoy, the inner surface of said body being curved transversely with respect to the plane of said body, an extension integral with the narrowest end of said body and having an aperture for the securement of an anchor cord, said body having a continuous groove about its perimeter for stowing said anchor cord, a member curved to conform to the inner surface of said body in the same plane therewith and having an arcuated profile in transverse section to conform to the curved inner surface of said body, said member being pivoted at its midsection to said body opposite said extension for rotation to a position at right angles to the plane of said body to define flukes extending on each side of said body.

2. A duck decoy anchor comprising a sinkable body of substantially horse collar shape conformable to the neck of a duck decoy for stowing and having an aperture in its narrowest end for securing an end of a retaining cord, said body having a continuous peripheral groove lying in the plane of said body, said cord being inoperatively wound in said peripheral groove, said' U- shaped member pivoted at its midsection to the inner surface of the widest end of said body for rotation about its pivotal point to positions parallel with and at right angles to the plane of said body and effective in said latter position to form flukes extending on opposite sides of said body and means for holding said U-shaped member in each of the two described positions.

3. A duck decoy anchor comprising a body of substantially horse collar shape having an aperture in its narrowest end for the engagement of an end of a retaining cord, said body having an endless peripheral groove in its outer surface in which said cord is wound for stowing, a member curved to conform to the inner surface of the widest end of said body and pivoted at its midsection for rotation into a plane intersecting the plane of said body to form flukes extending at each side of said body, and means for securing said curved member in each of two positions in relation to said body.

4. A decoy anchor comprising a body of substantially horse collar shape having an aperture in its narrowest end for securing an 'end'of a retaining cord, said body being provided with a continuous endless groove in its outer surface for stowably receiving said cord, a member curved to conform to the inner surface of the widest end of said body'and pivoted thereto at its midsection for rotation to a plane intersecting the plane of said anchor body to form flukes extending on opposite sides of said body and means for securing said curved member in positions parallel with and at right angles to said body.

5. A decoy anchor comprising a sinkable body of substantially horse collar shape having a retaining cord attached to its narrowest end, said body having an inner surface of continuous convex formation in transverse section, a member curved along its longitudinal and transverse axes to conform respectively to the widest end of said body and to its convex inner surface and pivoted at its midsection to said body for rotation into a plane intersecting the plane of said body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 54,847 Brown May 22, 1866 1,011,622 Jackson Dec. 12, 1911 2,520,233 Buehl Aug. 29, 1950 2,555,815 Rawlins June 5, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 22,608 Great Britain Oct. 4,1912 482,957 Canada May 6, 1952 

